


A nagging thought at the back of his mind

by DeXth



Category: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alex has a major crush on Magnus, Fluff, Just after Hammer of Thor, Multi, Pre ship of the dead, The Major Character death is basically everyone in Hotel Valhalla, This is basically just Magnus realising he loves Alex, happy end, multiple POVs, slight angst, this is my first fanfic please be kind
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-10-19
Packaged: 2018-12-15 18:30:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11811795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeXth/pseuds/DeXth
Summary: Magnus Chase, 16 years old forever, always thought he was straight. Well, actually he never really questionned his sexuality, but when he met Alex Fierro, his world changed. He started feeling weird and confused around her.On the other hand, Alex Fierro, eternally 17, has a lot to deal with : recurring nightmares involving her mom and a weaker self-esteem thant she'd like. By the way, her blond friend staring at her from time to time is awfully cute and messing with her head too.The two will have to confront their fears and face what they can't ignore anymore. They are attracted to each other but are too stupid to confess. Eventually they get closer and closer, but will they have the guts to do what they both need?





	1. Magnus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus starts to pay attention to the couples around him and starts to realise some things... Hel, he might have a crush on his own but he probably would be the last to know. Eventually he understands why he can't help thinking about a special someone.
> 
> Okay, I know I suck at summaries, but trust me this is short, cute and filled with good feelings so you won't regret reading.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, first of all thanks for reading my fanfic. This is the first time I ever finish one and this is also the first time I write in english (not my first language) so if you spot any mistake feel free to tell me, I would gladly correct my work.  
> I hope you'll enjoy and would love for you to comment if you liked it :)

It all started with Breakfast. Magnus was eating in silence, still not completely woken up, when he heard Halfborn laugh at the top of his lungs. He turned his head in the direction the sound came from and found himself witnessing another cute moment between the two. Halfborn had Mallory on his lap, trying to get away as her boyfriend tried to shove as many breadsticks as possible in her curly hair. She didn't have much luck against Halfborn's relentless strength, her mad attempts only making him doubling over with laughter, finally freeing her. She let a victory cry escape her as she reached for the nearest knife to defend herself. Then Halfborn got up and wiped the tears that had gathered on the corners of his eyes. He tried to kiss his redemption out, but it was too late, Mallory was annoyed for the rest of the day. Magnus snickered under his breath, his friends were unbelievable. Yet... They were undeniably cute, in their own funny way. For once Magnus wished he could have this kind of relationship with someone. The only question was, with who? He didn't bother going down that road and pushed the thought to the back of his mind, especially as Alex just entered the room.

\-----------------------------

 Then, a few days later, Magnus received a visit from Blitzen and Hearthstone. His friends wanted to tell him how well the sales were going and that they were actually planning to get some vacations. Hearthstone was signing fast, as he was obviously very excited at the idea. They had both agreed on going to France. Blitz assured it was for the fashion, but Hearth signed that it was for love. Magnus shot a quizzical look at his friend who blushed and signed hesitantly " _I'm going to propose to him_ " when his partner wasn't looking. Magnus gave a beaming smile at Hearth but acted innocent when Blitzen looked at them suspiciously. Magnus watched them bicker over what was going on, "Nothing, Nothing" assured Hearth, but Blitzen kept a resigned face and crossed his arms. Not long after, the sulking dwarf decided it was time for them to go back to Midgard before their beloved customers started missing them. After their departure, Magnus kept smiling to himself, he couldn't wait to see the joy radiating from both of their faces the day they finally married each other. Strangely, this thought brought back another one, a memory actually. Magnus remembered someone in a wedding dress. Someone who stole his breath away and made him forget about the whole world in an instant. Magnus shook his head vehemently, chasing the vision and the weird feelings it stirred inside him. His cheeks felt too hot, his stomach hurt as if he had swallowed a living bug (which could have happened to him under different cicumstances, but that's not the point here) and his head spun a little. He laid back against the tree standing in the middle of his room and breathed. He had probably gotten a cold or something like that... Or maybe, just maybe, he should stop pushing his feelings aside and start to question himself instead of hiding.

\-----------------------------

Samirah put the plate of falafels and her own cup of coffee down on the table before sitting next to Magnus.

"So, you wanted to talk with me about something?" Samirah took a sip of her coffee and waited for Magnus to answer.

"Yeah, well, I know this is going to be weird but..." He couldn't think of a less suspicious way to say it so he decided to get this over with. "How did you realize that you were in love with Amir?"

Samirah blushed at the mention of her future husband's name, but it did not keep her from narrowing her eyes at her deceased friend. "Who do you have a crush on Magnus?"

"Samirah, please... I really need your help on this one!" Magnus looked at her with his best puppy eyes and she finally gave in.

"How can I explain... I guess at first I didn't feel anything special with him, but as time passed and as we got to know each other I realized I admired him"

"What do you mean? You're the badass Valkyrie of the couple !" Said Magnus, taking his third falafel.

"Do you want me to help you or not?" Asked Samirah giving him one of her glare.

"Sorry..." Whispered Magnus, afraid he'd make food fly out of his mouth if he spoke too loud.

"As I was saying, I admired him for the way he had already planned his future. He never called his father's wish into question. He accepted to take back the family business not only for himself, but for the greater good." Samirah cleared her throat and took another sip of coffee when she realised she was rambling. "This admiration turned into something else the more I learned about his qualities and his flaws. I guess I really fell in love when I realised we completed each other and simply were happy together. Also, he's pretty cute and I could die for one of his smiles." Samirah said the last sentence in a rush, embarrassed to talk about her boyfriend that way.

 Magnus took time to think about what she had said. He did admire Alex for her fierceness and the way she gave no fucks about what everyone else was thinking. He also could not deny the fact that, most of the time (read as: when he was not in an immediate life or death situation), he was happy around Alex. She had a weird way of making him smile with her snarky comments and her harsh honesty. She was rude, hot-headed and highly temperamental yet it did not refrain him from finding her sweet (sometimes) or wanting to pierce through her walls. Hel, he would be lying if he didn't think that she was smoking hot, no matter her gender.

Samirah observed him in silence as he came to terms with his feelings. She sighed and got up, taking the falafel plate now empty as her coffee with her. As she was about to leave, she turned towards Magnus.

"You don't need to tell me who you have a crush on Magnus, I think that I know. I'd bet that everyone on floor 19 already have guessed. Everyone but her, obviously." Then she left without another word.

Magnus felt his cheeks get redder as he understood he had been so clueless while his friends had seen it coming all along. He passed a hand through his hair and smiled at the thought of his reckless crush. The crush that had been a nagging thought that wouldn't leave the back of his mind from the moment they met. The one and only, Alex Fierro.


	2. Alex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex has a very bad day but hopefully Magnus is here to help her. She learns that sometimes letting someone through your walls can be good, really good...  
> Alex really needs to understand that she's loved by the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys so I finally found the time to write a second chapter which I hope will be as good as the first one. Thank you so so so much for all your kudos, bookmarks and comments ! Every notification I get from AO3 just makes my day ! <3

Alex was angry. She had just woken up from one her many nightmares. This time had been different than usual though. Her mother was smiling at her, her face welcoming and radiating a happiness that she had never expressed before. She was standing, arms wide in Alex's pottery class from 8th grade. Loki was calling her, her voice sweet as honey. Alex ran into her arms and started crying, relieved that someone finally loved her as she was. But she quickly realized that her mother's arms were crushing her ribs and knocking the air out of her lungs. She tried to get out but there was no exit, she was dying. Loki approached her mouth to her ear and slowly whispered "No one will love you, how could they? You're a monster! You're an argr! Even worse, you're a child of Loki. You will always be like me!"

That's when everything went to black, leaving her panting in her room. She got up from her bed and splashed some fresh water on her face before looking at herself in the mirror. Her usually tan face was pale and her heterochromatic eyes looked faded, even her vibrant green hair seemed black in the obscurity of her bedroom. She went back to the center of her room and sat down against the big tree that stood there. She mused on the idea of transforming into a squirrel to scare the shit out of Magnus and not stay alone. But she wasn't even sure that the two trees connected. And Magnus would not want to be woken up in the middle of the night anyway. She grunted and got up to work on her pottery until breakfast was ready.

\-----------------------------

She was the first one in the big room and chose a seat at the very end of the table. She picked a cup of black coffee (cliché but worth it) and waited for her friends in silence. She hadn't even washed her clay-covered hands, simply not caring enough. The first one to sit at the table was TJ, he waved at her and, as soon as he saw her face, he halted, probably wondering if Alex was going to turn into a wild animal if he got too close. Alex looked at him and forced a smile onto her lips which seemed to scare him a lot more than her sulking expression. He hesitantly sat in front of her and started eating his toasts in silence. But the silence didn't last long when, a few minutes later, Halfborn sat down next to TJ and started talking loudly to them. Alex grumbled some answer when he asked her how she was and he discussed the strategy for the big battle this afternoon. As time passed, they were joined by Mallory, who seemed as grumpy as she was and finally, Magnus. His hair was messy as it was obvious he had just got up from his bed. Mallory sat down on Halfborn's lap, a habit she had gotten over the past month, and Magnus placed himself next to Alex. He was about to give her a warm smile when he understood that she was not in a good mood. A frown immediatly appeared on his sleepy face and she had no other choice than to sigh.

"Geez Magnus. You look like you've seen a zombie, It's not Halloween yet, no need to worry." He opened his mouth but then closed it and glared at his cup of hot chocolate. His puppy eyes made her laugh a little and his face got a bit brighter as he shot her a supposedly stealthy look.  
She passed a hand through her hair and concentrated on her own coffee, which had gotten cold ages ago, to distract herself from Magnus' obvious blushing.

\-----------------------------

Alex was taking a nap when she heard someone knock at her door. She got up, ready to get this over with and retrieve the much needed sleep her deprived brain was asking for. But Magnus was the one standing outside her room, and he seemed worried.

"Hey, what can I do for you Maggie? You look like you found out you've suddenly became allergic to falafels."

"Very funny Alex." He responded as he got inside.

"So, what's bothering you?"

"I could ask you the same question. You don't look good and you haven't made as much snarky comments since this morning." There was a sweetness in his words and Alex felt her heart clench at the thought that he actually cared for her.

"That's nothing. I just had a freaky nightmare last night and I didn't sleep much." She smiled at her friend, trying to convince him that everything was indeed fine and not messing with her head. Magnus was fiddling with his hands, as if he was nervous to say something so Alex helped him.

"If you've got something to say, say it sunshine."

"Enough with the pet names!" Said Magnus, annoyed. But he continued, a lot quieter. "I... I could help you, if you want to. I mean, I promise I won't look into your brain, or at least try not to, but... I want to help you Alex. Please, let me help you." Alex's brain took some time to process what Magnus was implying, but she backtracked as she imagined him faced with every one of her very well hidden insecurities. The best thing she could do to put an end to this situation was isolating herself, so that's what she did.

"Magnus, thank you very much, but no thanks. I'm very good on my own and I think you should get ready for the Big Battle." Alex said while walking Magnus back to the hall. 

"Alex, please..." Magnus couldn't finish his sentence because the door was closed in an instant.

 

The Big Battle had been a complete fiasco. While TJ and Halfborn were catching the team up on their strategy Alex had been lost in his thoughts, dreaming of a nice bed and a fluffy pillow. Hel, he hadn't even strapped his armor the right way. As soon as the battle started, he got out of breath way too fast and stumbled at least three times before Mallory scolded him for compromising their formation. He grumbled a "Sorry" before facing a kid from floor 5. She was taller than him and carrying such a HUGE axe that the only thing Alex had time to think was "Oh crap."

\-----------------------------

Alex only wanted one thing. It wasn't even much, just an ounce of sleep has been all he asked for. But as he lay in his bed, his eyes couldn't stay closed and his brain wouldn't shut up. He was reviewing his day again and again. He had tried everything he could to get back to sleep, but even pottery could do nothing to ease his mind. After what seemed like hours lying and doing nothing he finally gave up. He didn't even bother changing from his pajamas and turned into a god damn squirrel. It was time to see if his tree and Magnus' were actually connected.

Turns out their theory was right. Alex landed swiftly on Magnus' bed which was empty. He detransformed and looked around the room, but magnus didn't seem to be there. That's when he emerged from his bathroom, shirtless and a toothbrush in his mouth.

"Alex! How did you come in?!" He blurted out taking the toothbrush out of his mouth and blushing violently.

"I took the tree." Simply said Alex. "But I need to ask you something."Magnus shook his head and quickly put his stuff back in the bathroom before sitting on his bed with Alex.

"What is it dude?"

"Well..." Now Alex was the one blushing. "You remember when you said you could help me this afternoon?"

"Yup I remember it very well. You kindly refused."

"Does your offer still stand?" He was desperate and... Fuck it, Magnus could as well know it if he was going to read his mind.

"Of course! But um..."

"What Maggie?" Magnus was blushing way too much for the situation but Alex would be lying if he didn't admit he was probably blushing just as hard.

"I will need you to, well... Lie down in my bed if you want to sleep." His voice was too high, but it only made him cuter, especially with his bedside lamp reflecting in his blonde hair, making it look warmer than ever. 

"Okay, no problem." Alex was trying to act cool even though he cared a lot more than he would ever tell Magnus. Moreover Magnus' bed smelled just like him and damn, that smelled good.

Magnus was hunched on top of him and all he could see were his eyes. They were a deep grey, almost black in the dark. Then he closed them and placed his hands on the sides of Alex's face. Almost instantly a comforting heat spread at his temples. His head felt light as a feather and the bed started to wrap around him.

"You look so pretty when you..." Whispered Alex, falling asleep. Magnus gently stroked Alex's cheek and approached his face from his. 

"You know I won't ever let go of what you just said right ?" He smiled.

"Good, 'cause I don't want you to ever let go of me..." And everything slowly faded to black, but this time, Alex dreamed of a very special someone and all the possibilities the future seemed to hold.


End file.
